As we are entering Mental Health at work week, some of our clients have asked how to tackle mental health in the workplace. The need to deal with mental health in the workplace is becoming increasingly prominent. According to the Mental Health Foundation, one in seven people are experiencing mental health problems in the workplace and 13 per cent of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental ill-health. Therefore, we created this guidance blog to help employers understand and learn how to manage mental health in the workplace. Encourage conversations Starting a conversation with an employee about mental health doesn’t have to be difficult. Encouraging an open culture where employees feel like they can talk to each other and/or managers will help alleviate stress in the workplace. Dealing with sick notes It is important for you to deal with a medical certificate stating mental ill-health appropriately. If you contact the employee to find out if work is a contributing factor in triggering their illness and if there are any steps that can be taken to alleviate or eliminate the cause as soon as possible. Appropriate contact should be maintained with an employee on sick […]

Employees are most worried about their financial position. The Money Advice Service identified that 28.7 million working adults in the UK weren’t satisfied with their finances. The Financial Conduct Authority reported that 25.6 million people were financially vulnerable. There’s a shocking stat out there. Faced with an unexpected £300 bill, 11.8 million adults will borrow money or can’t pay. Only 50% of employees, thinks that their employer cares about their financial well-being. That’s less than those who think that their employer cares about their mental (62%) and physical health (60%). When asked what their top three worries are, employees said Financial worries (30%) Health (25%) Retirement provision (24%) Employees are most worried about their financial position What do employers think their employees are most worried about? When asked what they thought their employees worried about the most, employers gave very different answers. Their top two worries were work life balance (44%) and workload (33%). There’s clearly a difference between what actually worries employees and what employers think their employees worry about. Work life balance worries only 22% or employees surveyed. Employees are most worried about their financial position. The effects of financial worries show themselves in many ways. Physical factors such as loss of sleep and […]

If you think your employee is faking illness to take time off work, here’s a recent case to help you decide what you may need to do. An employee was on sick leave after a workplace accident. He was put under surveillance after suspicions were raised to the employer. He was seen to be walking easily. The employee was dismissed for fraud. However, he claimed that while he could walk, he could not perform his contractual duties at work. Furthermore, this required him to remain seated for long periods. The Employment Appeal Tribunal confirmed that an employee who dishonestly claims they cannot work because of an illness or injury breaches the trust and confidence. This is required of any employee in the employer/employee relationship. Their dismissal is a result of their conduct, not their capability. The procedures to be followed are those for dismissal for misconduct. The employer in this case was found to have carried out a reasonable investigation. As they genuinely and reasonably believed the employee was acting fraudulently. The dismissal was therefore fair. In cases of employees believed to be faking illness to take time off work, the issue is one of conduct. Therefore, this should be dealt with as a disciplinary issue. Employers should: ensure they […]

According to employee benefits firm Neyber, “How can I help an employee worried about debt?” is not a question many employers are likely to ask. The Neyber survey suggests that 67% of employees believe that their employer doesn’t care about their financial wellness. It also suggests that only 3% of employees would turn to their employer about their financial worries. Lack of financial wellbeing has a significant impact on the productivity and health of the workforce 55% of employees said being under financial pressure affects their behaviour and ability to perform their job in the workplace 51% of employees say financial pressure affects their relationships with colleagues 46% of employees say financial pressure affects their relationship with their line manager The average household owes £7.413 in unsecured debt, 9.45 million people in the UK have no savings and 17 million people only have £100 savings. It’s maybe not then surprising that any workforce at any one time will have some members struggling with money. It makes the question “How can I help an employee worried about debt?” much more likely to be asked, especially if employers set their stall out to be more open about discussing financial worries. We are not advocating […]

This week, 3-9 September 2017, is Migraine Awareness Week. It made us reflect on a call from an employer we had recently helped with a female employee. She was absent from work because of a migraine for the third time in a month. His reaction of “it’s only a headache” made us reflect on migraines and the reality for some people. Claiming to have a migraine is one of the most popular excuses for “pulling a sickie” from work. A recent YouGov poll of 2,105 people found 15% of workers who admitted to making up illness to get a day off work used migraine as their excuse. The fact that people fake migraines puts real sufferers in a difficult position. Some employees say they fear they won’t be believed if they phone in sick with a migraine. Migraine Awareness Week statistics show that 1 in 7 people are affected by migraine. Migraine is the 6th highest cause worldwide of years lost due to disability. In the UK there are more people who suffer from migraine than with diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined. Over 6 million people suffer with a resulting loss of over 25 million working days. An estimated cost to the economy of […]

Employees who take time off with stress to avoid a disciplinary at work. In effect they make the process and situation more difficult for themselves. As well as for the employer. A disciplinary investigation can be a daunting process. The employee may feel angry that the company considers their behaviour amounts to misconduct. They may believe their future employment is at risk. As the employer, you may want to deal with the problem quickly and move on. However, for employees who take time off with stress to avoid a disciplinary at work, there maybe little incentive to engage with the process. Especially if the employee is suspended on full pay until a decision is reached. This can cause an employee to time waste by asking to postpone the disciplinary. Another tactic is to make last minute call-offs or submit unfit to work notes. An employer is entitled to insist a suspended employee attends a disciplinary meeting during normal working hours. But it is good practice to reschedule a hearing at least once. Especially if the employee provides a good reason for the postponement. This does not mean you are under an obligation to postpone disciplinary proceedings indefinitely. You can proceed with a hearing […]

A family member falling ill can be a stressful time for all involved. As an employer, you still need to know how to handle staff who take time off for dependents. Whether it’s sick children or caring for an elderly member of the family. Research shows that nearly three million working days are lost each year through this type of absenteeism. According to CIPD, more employers recognise line managers play a vital role in supporting employees. However, most employers aren’t giving them the tools they need to manage absence effectively. The 2016 Absence Management survey revealed that less than half of employers (44%) train managers to handle short-term absence. Employees have a right to reasonable unpaid time off to deal with a dependent who has fallen ill. However, this should be limited to the time needed to make other care arrangements. Usually this takes no more than a few hours or at most one or two days. Where an employee continues to take time off for caring duties, flexibility can help. Perhaps offer the option to make up the time missed. Give them the option to work from home at flexible times during the day. Other options is to offer […]

Conflict is a huge contributor to workplace absence and stress. Many people ask, how mediation can resolve conflict and absenteeism. It seems if an organisation can develop a culture of conflict resolution, then conflict can be nipped in the bud. Rather than leaving it to fester and grow, causing the stress that may lead to absenteeism. Howver, there is a process which allows individuals in conflict to find an informal resolution to their issues quickly and effectively. An organisation could invest time in training line managers to hold difficult conversations. Ones that many of us attempt to avoid, It teaches listening techniques and can promote a culture of openness, dialogue, honesty and integrity. If conflict is already an issue in your organisation, considering strategies to deal with existing conflict may be beneficial to you. Mediation is a technique that can be a powerful intervention with a high success rate. It is a confidential, voluntary and informal process that allows members of staff in conflict to have open and honest discussions through a qualified mediator. It allows them to clarify the issues that so often lead to communication breakdowns and misunderstandings. So, How Mediation Can Resolve Conflict and Absenteeism Mediation focuses on re-establishing a working relationship […]

We have looked at Why we need to do a return to work interview after absence, now we shall look at how to do a return to work interview. These should be undertaken to acknowledge each absence. How to do a return to work Interview Welcome the employee back to work. Seek confirmation that the individual is fit to work Give the employee the opportunity to highlight any relevant issues and reasons for absence. Try to offer solutions if the employee raises any issues. If appropriate, refer to employee support mechanisms. Agree a review period and/or any actions required if appropriate. Here’s our 6 step guide to how to do a return to work interview In advance, review the employee’s attendance record over the previous 12 months. Take notes of any points arising from previous return to work discussions or meetings. Print off copies of the employee’s attendance over the last 12 months. Meet with the employee on the first day back at work, or shortly afterwards. It is important that a record of the Return to Work interview is kept by the manager. Decide what your objectives for the return to work interview are. During the Meeting: Welcome the employee back […]

Return to work interview Besides knowing how to do a return to work interview, it’s good to know why we do a return to work interview. They are necessary for good housekeeping in your workplace. They are just one of the things that companies may wish to consider introducing to keep track on the comings and goings of employees. The interview will let you see what was behind the absence. This is important because after a while you might start to see trends. For example, you have an employee absent a lot with back pain or headaches, which could indicate a problem with seating, lifting or lighting, for example. Remedying these issues could save you lots of absences – not to mention legal action. There’s evidence that companies who introduce Return to Work interviews experience a reduction in sickness absence. It shows that you are taking absence seriously and possibly also a “fear factor”. Some employees who might in the past have taken the odd day off when they just couldn’t be bothered to come to work might be wary of being “found out” if they slip up in the interview by contradicting their original cover story. Companies don’t demand […]